Echinacea plant named &#39;Orange273&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Orange273’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous large single-type inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets and dark red-colored receptacle spines; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ORANGE273 ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Orange273’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous and freely flowering Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2012 in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands of Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Echinacea hybrida identified as code number 656-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in July, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since October, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Orange273’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Orange273’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

1. Upright plant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit.

4. Strong flowering stems.

5. Numerous large single-type inflorescences with orange-colored ray florets and dark red-colored receptacle spines.

6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Cleopatra’. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Cleopatra’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Echinacea are shorter than plants of ‘Cleopatra’.

2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely branching than plants of ‘Cleopatra’.

3. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Cleopatra’ differ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of ‘Cleopatra’ are soft yellow in color.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Echinacea are shorter than plants of the male parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely branching than plants of the male parent selection.

3. Plants of the new Echinacea flower later than plants of the male parent selection.

4. Plants of the new Echinacea and the male parent selection differ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the male parent selection are red in color.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Julia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,629. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands, plants of the new Echinacea differed primarily from plants of ‘Julia’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Echinacea were shorter than plants of ‘Julia’.

2. Plants of the new Echinacea were more freely branching than plants of ‘Julia’.

3. Plants of the new Echinacea were more freely flowering than plants of ‘Julia’.

4. Plants of the new Echinacea had smaller inflorescences than plants of ‘Julia’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant. The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Orange273’ grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and placed in a 21 cm container for the photograph. The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of typical inflorescences (upper photograph) and the upper surface of a typical leaf (lower photograph) of ‘Orange273’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were eight months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea hybrida ‘Orange273’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in             U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea hybrida             identified as code number 656-01, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale cream in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright             plant habit, narrow inverted triangle; freely branching             habit with about 18 lateral branches developing per plant;             moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 57.7 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 60.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 37.9 cm. Diameter: About             7 mm. Internode length: About 5.7 cm. Aspect: Erect to about             10° from vertical. Strength: Very strong. Texture:             Moderately pubescent; strigose; slightly rough. Color: Close             to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 19.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Shallowly dentate; undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent,             strigose; rough.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker             than 143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143A             to 143B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to             N137B; venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 145B.         -   Petioles, basal leaves.—Length: About 8.8 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent; strigose. Color, upper surface: Close to 145A to             145B; margins, close to N137A. Color, lower surface: Close             to 145B; margins, close to 137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single-type inflorescences with ray and             disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on mostly upright             and strong peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 90             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Time to flower.—In the garden, plants flower continuously             from early July to late September in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about three weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About             3.6 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Involucral bracts,             close to 175A; ray florets, close to 25D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.9 cm. Disc diameter: About 4.4 cm. Receptacle             height: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Receptacle color: Close to 155D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 26 arranged in             about two whorls at the base of the receptacle. Length:             About 4.4 cm. Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Praemorse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous; velvety; longitudinally ridged. Texture,             lower surface: Glabrous; longitudinally ridged. Luster,             upper surface: Matte. Luster, lower surface: Slightly             glossy. Aspect: Horizontal to slightly upright, about 25°             from horizontal. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to N25B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 35D; margins,             close to 22D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to N30B to             N30C; towards the base, close to 33B; color becoming closer             to 33B with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 51C and 182D; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 per             inflorescence, spirally at the center. Length: About 9 mm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Tubular; proximally, 15% free,             not fused. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             inner and outer surfaces: Glossy. Color, when opening, inner             and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 144A. Mid-section: Close             to 145C. Base: Close to 157B to 157D. Color, fully opened,             inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 144A. Mid-section:             Close to 145C. Base: Close to 157B to 157D.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Shape:             Acicular. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Luster: Glossy. Color: Apex: Close to 46A.             Mid-section: Close to 23A. Base: Close to 144B.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 160             arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Moderately             pubescent. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to 137C. Color, lower surface: Close to             137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 25° from             vertical. Texture: Moderately pubescent; strigose. Color:             Close to 143A and 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on ray and disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             3 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to             200A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17A.             Gynoecium (present only on disc florets): Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape:             Decurrent, unequal. Stigma color: Close to between N186C and             200A. Style length: About 6.5 mm. Style color: Close to             145A. Ovary color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Echinacea. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 4. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Orange273’ as illustrated and described. 